This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 11-237633 filed on Aug. 24, 1999, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to techniques for printing and displaying a multiplicity of character strings on one printing plane such as a sheet of paper. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a printed matter which is novel in printing form and which is capable of presenting desired character strings selected from the multiplicity of character strings, owing to a change of a distance between an observer and the printed matter, as well as a change of a view point of the observer on the printing plane.
The present invention is also concerned with a method and an apparatus for effectively printing such a printed matter.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one type of information providing media, there has been widely used printed matters in which character strings, such as words and sentences, are fixedly printed on printing planes made of paper or a resin material for presenting specific meanings or contents of the information, owing to their excellent utility, and their advantages in storage and handling. Most of these conventional printed matters as represented by books, are constructed on a premise that the observer obtains from the printed matter a desired character strings by reading through the printed matter from the top thereof in the order of the description, or alternatively, by manually selecting and limiting the information provided by the printed matter. That is, the conventional printed matter are arranged on the basis of a so-called xe2x80x9csequential access methodxe2x80x9d, so that the observer is required to change or move his or her own view point on the printing plane along the lines of character strings so as to select or obtain the desired character strings.
Recent remarkable development of computer technology makes it possible to provide such information consisting of the multiplicity of character strings by means of a computer system. For instance, a computer graphics technology may be utilized for displaying three-dimensional image on a display of a display device such as a CRT Display device. This makes it possible to map the multiplicity of character strings on respective positions of a three dimensional coordinate as a virtual space, and displaying the virtual space on the display of the display devise, so that the observer can recognize the virtual space, as if his or her view point moves on the three dimensional space. Therefore, the computer graphics is capable of selectively showing the multiplicity of character strings on one display.
However, the conventional printed matter as described above is adapted to provide a stable display, and is incapable of providing a dynamic display like in the computer graphics technology as described above. The conventional printed matter once printed does not change dynamically, thereby suffering from a problem of difficulty in providing the dynamic display. This drawback of the conventional printed matter results in that the conventional printed matter is limited in display formats in comparison with the display provided by utilizing the computer graphics techniques, although the conventional printed matter is advantageous in terms of utility, storage and handling.
For the above reasons, it is impossible to provide a printed matter which is printed on a single printing plane and is capable of drawing an observer""s attention initially to the character strings of higher ranking, e.g., the character strings having higher degrees of importance, and then to the character strings of lower ranking, e.g., the character strings having lower degrees of importance, such that the character strings are recognized gradually by the observer from the ones having the higher degrees of importance to the ones having the lower degrees of importance.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a printed matter having a novel form wherein a multiplicity of character strings are printed in a single printing plane, and which permits an observer to selectively obtain or recognize desired character strings, on the basis of a predetermined ranking of the character stings, e.g., a ranking of degrees of importance of the character strings.
It is a second and a third object of the present invention to provide a printing method and a printing apparatus arranged for providing such a printed matter of the present invention.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide computer readable media for supplying a computer program to a computer system so that the computer system executes the printing method of the present invention.
The above first, second, third and fourth objects may be achieved according to the following modes (1)-(2), (3)-(9), (10) and (11)-(12) of the invention, respectively, each of which is numbered like the appended claims and depends from the other mode or modes, where appropriate, to indicate possible combinations of elements or technical features of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those modes of the invention and combinations of the technical features, but may be otherwise recognized based on the thought of the present invention that disclosed in the whole specification and drawings or that may be recognized by those skilled in the art in the light of the disclosure in the whole specification and drawings.
(1) A printed matter comprising: a multiplicity of character strings such as words or sentences being printed on a single printing plane according to a ranking of said character strings determined based on a predetermined rule; the character strings being printed at respective font sizes which vary gradually in order of the ranking of the character strings; and at least two of the character strings being superposed on each other in which one of the two character strings whose font size is smaller than that of the other character string is provided with a fringe at a superposed portion thereof.
In the printed matter of the present invention, the multiplicity of character strings are printed at respective font sizes which vary gradually in order of the ranking of the character strings. If the observer observe the printed matter from a distance (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cdistant observationxe2x80x9d), character strings printed at the smaller font sizes are likely to be illegible, so that the observer can observe substantially only character strings printed at the larger font sizes. On the other hand, the observer can observe such illegible character strings in the order from the larger font sized character string to the smaller font sized character strings, as the observer comes closer to the printed matter, or brings the printed matter close to his or her eyes (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cnearsighted observationxe2x80x9d). Once the observer is conscious or aware of the character strings having smaller font sizes, his or her degree of consciousness of the character strings having larger font sizes is accordingly reduced, leading to that the larger font sized character strings become illegible.
In particular, the present printed matter includes the plurality of character strings which are printed while being mutually superposed. In this case, the distant observation of the printed matter by the observer permits that the observer recognizes only the character strings printed at the larger font sizes, since the character strings printed at the smaller font sizes are superposed on the character strings printed at the larger font sizes and are seen as a part of the character strings printed at the larger font sizes. In addition, the character strings printed at smaller font size are provided with a fringe. In the distant observation, the fringes provided in the character strings having smaller font sizes also becomes illegible, permitting the observer observes only the character strings having larger font sizes. The fringes also facilitates the observer to recognize the character strings having smaller font sizes, when the observer observes the printed matter while coming closer to the printed matter close to his or her eyes. That is, the fringe is effective to give the character strings having smaller font sizes a priority to be recognized by the observer, in the nearsighted observation, so that the observer""s recognition of the character strings having larger font sizes is accordingly reduced.
Therefore, the present printed matter is capable of providing the observer different information by utilizing different group of character strings, by only changing the distance between the observer and the printed matter, although the present printed matter is stationary. The present printed matter is also capable of functioning similarly as the three-dimensional display medium.
In the presence of the fringes provided to the respective character strings having smaller font sizes in the plurality of character strings mutually superposed, it is effectively prevented undesirable vanishment of boundaries of the smaller font sized character strings, due to superposition of the plurality of character strings, making it possible to print the multiplicity of character strings in the single printing plane, while obtaining an excellent legibility of each of the character strings.
The character strings used in the printed matter of the present invention are not particularly limited provided the character strings contain respective information to be provided. For instance, the character strings may be words or sentences such as names and phrases consisting of a single or a plurality of characters. Further, the character strings includes, but not limited to, phonograms such as Roman characters, Sanskrit characters, Arabic characters, and the Japanese syllabary, and ideographs such as pictorial symbols, hieroglyphs, and Chinese characters.
(2) A printed matter according to the above mode (1), wherein the multiplicity of character strings being printed so as to be spread out over the printing plane, the printing plane having domains each representing conceptual similarity of character strings located therein, and the font sizes of the character strings representing degrees of importance thereof.
The printed matter according to the above-indicated mode (2) permits the observer in his or her distant observation to survey the entire of the information printed on the printing plane, and permits the observer to approach a desired domain to observe details of the character strings of the domain, such that the observer chooses character strings whose meaning become gradually detailed, as the observer comes closer to the printed matter, or brings the printed matter close to his or her eyes. In a general observation manner, observer may observe an observing object by using his or her visual sense such that the observer obtains details of the object, as he or she comes closer to the object. The present printed matter allows the observer to observe it according to this general observation manner, resulting in an improved utility of the printed matter.
In the above mode (2), the font sizes used for printing the respective character strings may preferably determined such that the number of legible character strings become larger, as the observer comes closer to the printed matter. For instance, the font sizes of the character strings may be changed continuously according to the ranking of the character strings on the basis of their degrees of importance. Alternatively, the font sizes of the character strings may be gradually changed at a constant proportion every character string, or every several number of character strings. It is preferable that the all character strings essentially have the same font face. However, the all character strings may differ in their font faces such that the font faces of the character strings vary depending upon their ranking or concepts. It is also possible that the font face may vary in a single character string.
Moreover, the multiplicity of the character strings may be suitably ranked depending upon a predetermined constant standard, which is not particularly limited. In this arrangement, the same set of character strings may be printed different manner, by only ranking differently the character strings based on different importance-basis measures. In addition, properties of the fringe provided to the character string(s) which is superposed on the other character string(s), is not particularly limited, provided the color of the fringe is visually distinguished from the printed body of the character strings. It is preferable that the fringe has not only a color similar to the ground color of the printing plane, but also a width which is smaller than the printed body of the corresponding character string so that the legibility of the character strings is not limited by the presence of the fringe. The importance of the respective character strings may be the importance of the information of the respective character strings, which are recognized as values of frequencies in statistics, or grades in concept.
The range of variation in their font sizes of the character strings may preferably be made as large as possible, so that the range of variation of the distance between the observer and the printed matter can be made larger, resulting in an increased depth of legible information. In this respect, a possible range of variation in font sizes of the character strings may preferably be determined taken into account the size of the employed printing plane, the possible range of variation in distance between the observer and the printing plane, or the like.
(3) A method of printing a multiplicity of character strings on one printing plane, based on a multiplicity of text data each being tagged with at least printing positional information and rank-able information, the method comprising the steps of: determining a font size of each of the character strings such that the font sizes of the character strings vary gradually in order of ranking of the character strings determined based on the rank-able information tagged to the text data; arranging the character strings at respective positions of the printing plane based on the printing positional information tagged to respective text data; and if at least two of the character strings are superposed on each other, then providing a fringe around a superposed portion of one of the two character strings whose font size is smaller than that of the other character string.
In the method of the present invention according to the third mode (3) of the invention described above, the printed matter according to the above mode (1) or (2) of the present invention may be advantageously formed or printed. That is, the present method permits a formation of a novel printed matter which is capable of reproducing legibly a computer graphical images such as a three dimensional coordinate as a virtual space wherein the multiplicity of character strings are respectively mapped, so that the formed printed matter functions like as a three dimensional display by only changing the distance between the observer and the printing plane of the printed matter.
In the printing method according to the above mode (3) of the invention, the printing positional information is not particularly limited, provided each information is capable of specifying a position in the printing plane on which the corresponding character strings may be printed. The printing positional information may be provided in the form of coordinate values such as coordinate values in an X-Y coordinate, for example. The rank-able information may be information which can be ranked according to a constant standard, which may be provided in the form of frequencies in a statistic data, values of sequence, or the like. It is noted that each of the text data represents multi-dimensionally the corresponding character strings such that the text data includes the printing positional information, the rank-able information, and the font size information, as well as character information. In this respect, the text data is considered as a character data which is capable of specifying a printing mode of the corresponding character strings on the printing plane.
In the present method, the xe2x80x9cprintingxe2x80x9d represents printing of the character strings in a visible form on the printing plane, and is not particularly limited to specific printing techniques. The font sizes of the all character strings and the form of the fringes provided to desired character strings are suitably arranged, as described above with respect to the printed matter of the present invention. The multiplicity of character strings may be directly printed on the final printing plane, or alternatively be formed initially on a printing plate (an artwork) or an original form, and then printed on the printing plane such as a sheet of paper.
(4) A method of printing according to the above mode (3), wherein the rank-able information includes a degree of importance of each of the text data, so that the text data being ranked based on the degrees of importance thereof, and the font size of the character strings vary gradually in order of the ranking of the text data such that the font sizes are made larger as the degrees of importance are increased.
The printing method of the present invention according to the above mode (4), facilitates printing the aforementioned printed matter of the present invention, which printed matter allows the observer in the distant observation to visually recognize only the character strings whose font size, i.e., importance is larger so as to survey the entire of the printed information, and which printed matter is capable of providing efficiently the observer with many information by using the other character strings, such that the observer gradually recognizes the character strings in which the degrees of importance are gradually decreased, as the observer comes closer to the printed matter. In this respect, the importance of respective character strings may be evaluated values obtained by evaluating the all character strings on the basis of a specific evaluation standard, but not particularly be limited. When the rank-able information comprises statistical data, frequency values of the statistical data may possibly be employed as the degrees of the importance, for example.
(5) A method of printing according to the above modes (3) or (4), the method further comprising the step of: determining a degree of brightness of each of the character strings based on the rank-able information tagged to the text data, such that the degrees of brightness of the character strings are made lager as the font sizes of the character strings are made larger.
The printing method according to the above mode (5) is effective to increase a legibility of the character strings having smaller font size. In this respect, the brightness is a synonym of luminescence of a printed character and may be defined as a ratio of an amount of light reflected on each color to an amount of light reflected on white color. For ensuring this effect of the above mode (5), it is desirable that the ground color of the printing plane is white color or higher brightness colors like as white color.
The printing method according to any one of the above modes (3)-(5) of the present invention may be arranged such that the text data further includes data of hue and/or saturation, in addition to the data of brightness, so that the character strings differ from each other in their hues and/or saturation. For instance, the character strings may be gradually changed in their hues and/or saturation in a suitable order determined according to another evaluation standard which is different from the standard used for determined the font sizes of the character strings, making it possible to provide a printed matter which illegibly shows higher dimensional information.
The printing method according to any one of the above modes (3) or (4) of the present invention may be arranged, as needed, such that the brightness of the printed character strings based on the respective text data gradually change based on the rank-able information so that the brightness of the character strings are larger as the font sizes of the character strings are smaller. This arrangement permits that the character strings having larger font sizes are displayed or printed more conspicuous than the character strings having smaller font sizes.
(6) A method of printing according to any one of the above modes (3)-(5), further comprising the step of: if a plurality of the character strings based on a plurality of the text data are located in an identical range, then adjusting the printing positions of the plurality of character strings such that the printing positions are offset relative to each other. This arrangement is effective to prevent the character strings mutually superposed are made illegible due to an increase of an area in which the character strings are superposed on each other, leading to an increased utility of the printed matter printed according to the present invention.
It may be considered that printing positions of a plurality of character strings are located in the identical range, not only when the printing positions are coincide with each other, but also when the printing positions are adjacent to each other so that the printed character strings are made illegible. The printing positions of the character strings which are mutually superposed may be offset from each other such that one of the mutually superposed character strings is determined as an original position, while the other character strings are displaced relative to the original position, or alternatively, be offset from each other such that the all printing positions of the character strings are repositioned. Since a significantly larger amount of displacement of the character strings may lead to undesirable changes in meanings provided by the printed matter, it is desirable to limit the amount of displacement of the character strings as small as possible. It is possible to displace the mutually superposed character strings relative to each other so that the character strings do not have superposition. Preferably, the mutually superposed character strings are displaced relative to each other in a vertical or upper-and-lower direction of the printing plane so that the printed character strings are not superposed on each other at their about one-third, more preferably, one-third through two-thirds areas. The excessive amount of displacement of the mutually superposed character strings may possibly deteriorate accuracy of displayed information. Therefore, a possible amount of relative displacement of the mutually superposed character strings is suitably determined or restricted, taken into account required characteristics of the printed matter. It is desirable that the amount of displacement of the superposed character strings is suitably restricted by adjusting a ratio of an amount of relative displacement of the mutually superposed character strings to a dimension of a printed plane, or alternatively by adjusting a ratio of an amount of relative displacement of an amount of relative displacement of the mutually superposed character strings to a dimension of each character string, for example.
(7) A method of printing according to any one of the above modes (3)-(6), wherein a maximum value of the font sizes of the character strings is determined based on at least a size of a printing area of the printing plane.
In the printing method according to the above mode (7), the font sizes of the character strings can be set at the practical range considered from the size of the printing plane. Therefore, the multiplicity of the character strings can be effectively printed on the printing plane having the predetermined range. Described more specifically, the maximum font size is set to 50-150 point, more preferably, 80-120 point, when a printing plane having a BO size is employed. For a printing plane having an A4 size, the maximum font size is set to 10-50 point, more specifically 20-30 point. With the maximum font size determined as described above, one or more of the character strings may have the font size which is larger than the predetermined maximum font size. In this case, the character string(s) having a font size larger than the predetermined maximum font size may be printed by using the same predetermined font size. Preferably, the font sizes of the all character strings may be determined such that the character strings have respective font sizes which are gradually decreased from the maximum value, in order of raking of the character strings.
(8) A method of printing according to any one of the above modes (3)-(6), wherein a minimum value of the font sizes of character strings is determined based on at least a visual recognizing ability of an observer.
In the above mode (8), the minimum value of the font size is suitably limited so that the character strings having the minimum font size are legible in the nearsighted observation. This arrangement permits an effective printing of only the character strings which is practically useful, while avoiding printing of illegible and excess character strings. Described more specifically, the legibility of the character strings varies depending upon a variation of visually recognizing abilities of the observer and a distance between the observer and the printing plane. In general, the minimum font size is preferably set to at around 3 point, more preferably to 4-5 point, in the light of a visual acuity of a healthy subject.
With the minimum font size determined as described above, one or more of the character strings may have the font size which is smaller than the predetermined minimum font size. In this case, character string(s) having a font size smaller than the predetermined minimum font size may be printed by using the same predetermined font size. Preferably, the font sizes of the all character strings may be determined such that the character strings have respective font sizes which are gradually increased from the minimum value, in order of ranking of the character strings.
Preferably, a combination of the methods according to the above modes (7) and (8) may be employed, in which the character strings have respective font sizes which vary within a range between the maximum and minimum font sizes predetermined according to the respective methods. More preferably, the character strings are arranged to be printed with respective font sizes which differ from one another and which vary in order of ranking within the range between the maximum and minimum font sizes.
(9) A method of printing according to any one of the above modes (3)-(8), wherein the step of arranging the character strings at respective positions of the printing plane is executed in the order of ranking of the character strings determined based on the rank-able information, the method further comprising the step of: if a ratio of an area where the character strings are mutually superposed to an entire area of the printing plane exceeds a predetermined value, then prohibiting printing of the character strings which are ranked lower than the currently arranged character strings.
The printing method according to the above mode (9) is capable of controlling the number of character strings to be printed so as to prevent or avoid undesirably increase of the number of the printed character strings which leads to illegibility of the printed character strings. This arrangement permits both of a sufficient utility of the printed matter and an improved display wherein as many as possible information are provided by the multiplicity of character strings. It is desirable that the printing method of the above mode (9) is modified to further includes a sub-steps of executing some indication so as to indicate the character strings which are not printed.
(10) A printing apparatus for printing a multiplicity of character strings on one printing plane, based on a multiplicity of text data each being tagged with at least printing positional information and rank-able information, the apparatus comprising: a printing position determining means for determining a printing position of each of the character strings based on the printing positional information tagged to the corresponding text data; a ranking determining means for determining a ranking of the text data based on the rankable information tagged to the respective text data; a font size determining means for determining a font size of each of the character strings such that the font sizes are arranged so as to increase or decrease gradually in order of the ranking of the text data; a fringe information assigning means for assigning a fringe information, if at least two of said character strings are superposed on each other, to the text data of one of the character strings whose font size is smaller than that of the other character strings, so that the character string having smaller font size are provided with a fringe around a superposed portion thereof; a printing device for printing on the printing plane the character strings corresponding to the plurality of text data, such that the character strings are printed on respective printing positions determined based on the printing positional information, with respective font sizes determined by the font size determining means, while being provided with the fringe based on the fringe information assigned by the fringe information assigning means.
The printing apparatus according to the above mode (10) of the present invention is capable of forming the printed matter of the present invention, and is also capable of executing the method of printing of the present invention as described above. It should be understood that any one of the above-described modes described with respect to the printed matter and printed method of the present invention are similarly applicable to the printing apparatus of the present invention. The printing device of the printing apparatus of the present invention may be a device which is adapted to directly print a printing image on the printing plane, or alternatively may be a device wherein the desired printing image is initially formed in an art work or original form and is then transferred onto a desired printing plane.
(11) A computer program product for printing a multiplicity of character strings on one printing plane based on a multiplicity of text data each being tagged with at least printing positional information and rank-able information, the computer program comprising: computer code that determine a font size of each of the character strings based on the rank-able information tagged to the corresponding text data, such that the font sizes are changed gradually in order of ranking of the character strings determined based on the rank-able information tagged to the text data; computer code that arranges the character strings at respective positions on the printing plane based on the printing positional information tagged to respective text data; computer code that if at least two of the character strings are superposed on each other, then providing a fringe around a superposed portion of one of the two character strings whose font size is smaller than that of the other character strings; and a computer-readable medium that stores the program codes.
The computer program product of the present invention may preferably comprise computer code that performs any one or more of other steps according to the above modes (4)-(9). It is appreciated that the computer-readable medium may preferably be selected from a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical disk, a magnet-optical disk, a computer hard disk, a flash memory and the like.
(12) A computer program data signal for printing a multiplicity of character strings on one printing plane based on a multiplicity of text data each being tagged with at least printing positional information and rank-able information, the computer program data signal embodied in a telecommunication medium and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor caused by the processor to perform the steps according to the above modes (3).
The computer program data signal according to the above mode (12) may further represent sequences of instructions to perform the steps according to one or more of the above modes (4)-(9).
The computer program data signal embodied in the telecommunication medium of the present invention makes it possible to easily provide a printing apparatus according to the present invention in association with a computer system, by only transmitting the computer program data into the computer system via the telecommunication channel. It is appreciated that the telecommunication medium may preferably be selected from any one of various kinds of medium which is capable of transmitting the computer program data signal. For instance, an optical cable, a radio, a cable, or the like which are available in the form of network may be employed. Further, the telecommunication channel may include both of the medium which utilizes a carrier wave for transmitting the computer program data signal and the medium which utilizes no carrier wave for transmitting the computer program data signal.
The computer program stored in the computer readable medium according to the above mode (11), and the computer program data signal according to the above mode (12), permits that the printing method of the present invention is executed by utilizing a computer system, and also permits that the printing apparatus according to the present invention is easily embodied by utilizing a computer system.